Temporary Squad and Fairy Construct

It was said that all rumors concerning the Dark Dragon originated from the era of the Giant War and the fall of Esolin. But that dark history had sunk beneath the Abyssal Sea long ago, shattered beyond all investigation. Now, only scattered records from after the Cataclysm remained, along with this description of their appearance in the Abyssal Sea Scroll:

Two wings, four horns, black as smoke and dust. The disaster of Esolin, the fire of golden stars, blotting out the sky and sun, as if the end of days had descended.

Just as Fang Heng saw now.

When the dragon landed, it flapped its wings once, shaking off the billowing black smoke coating them as though dust. Beneath it were gray wing membranes, somewhere between solid matter and smoke. It folded its wings, planted claws wreathed in black mist atop two tables, and raised its head. It stood a full six or seven meters tall.

A single eye flickering with golden-red light lay amid the surging smoke, seemingly atop its head, between its four horns. The long horns forked forward, each twice the length of its head, black and gleaming, grotesque as a skull.

The instant it landed, it opened its huge maw, revealing rows of fangs, and let out a long howl from its throat.

That was Dragon Song, a shriek that brought destruction and despair—

It seemed to sweep forth from the depths of the soul, plunging one into the very end of darkness: isolated, helpless, enemies on every side. Something enormous seemed to be drawing closer through the smoke, yet it could not be seen. All one could make out was a gigantic golden-red eye, like molten lava, slowly blinking.

It was fear from ancient times, making people feel small and unable to control themselves. Fang Heng felt his vision darkening in waves. Many people screamed uncontrollably, running about like headless flies, trampling one another. Others lost their grip on their minds and curled up on the ground, shivering. The hall was in complete chaos.

The others around him were likewise trapped in that terrifying illusion, unable to break free. But suddenly, a gentle green light blossomed from the black mist, seeming to shine directly into their hearts and calm them.

Fang Heng was the first to regain consciousness in that light.

Then he heard a low shout. It was Hong Ye, warning them, "Look up!"

Fang Heng raised his head and stared in shock at the savage, horrifying dragon horn hanging from the ceiling. It was gradually turning into black smoke and dust, pouring downward. The smoke washed over the dragon's body below, causing its dark gray scales to slowly become solid, their surfaces reflecting light like steel mirrors.

He checked the dragon's level through the system. The window showed ???. He had no idea whether his own level was too low, or whether it was a boss-class creature.

More monsters emerged from the churning mist around them. They had human shapes, but reptilian faces, horns and scales on their heads, sharp claws and fangs, and long tails trailing behind them despite having no wings.

These monsters surged in from every direction.

One Dragon Person nimbly climbed onto a table and sprinted toward them. Halfway there, it suddenly leaped up, spreading its arms as it pounced at Fang Heng.

A scream came from behind Fang Heng.

That frightened cry forced him to remain where he was. It was Jita's voice. If he dodged, this trainee would undoubtedly die.

But then, a construct half the height of a man burst through the mist from the side. It charged on four legs and slammed into the Dragon Person with a bang, sending it flying back into the black smoke.

Walker Type III.

Fang Heng turned around just in time to see Liuli Yue lower the glove in his hand. The young man supported the pale-faced Wu Di with his other hand and snapped, "What are you standing around for?"

"You're hurt?" Hong Ye looked at the pale-faced Wu Di. Though the people present could hardly be called friendly with one another, she understood that now was clearly not the time to cling to their prejudices.

"I'm fine." Wu Di shook his head and straightened up. "Someone just bumped into me. What happened just now?"

When they turned back, they saw that the thing glowing earlier was the pendant on Etila's chest. It was shaped like a leaf and lay flat against her breast, emitting a faint green radiance.

The elven girl lifted it, and only then did everyone see that it was Ameya's holy emblem.

"Nature's Holy Emblem? You're a follower of the Forest Goddess?" Hong Ye sounded surprised. "Then this light is...?"

"The goddess is warning us," Etila said softly. Her voice was gentle, as though it carried a power that calmed the heart. "They are dark creatures."

"No, they're only remnant souls." Wu Di looked in that direction.

The others followed his gaze.

The dragon was in the center of the hall—

But it seemed to have no intention of acting further. Instead, it lowered itself, covered itself with its wings, and continued to receive the baptism of black smoke and dust. The enormous dragon horn hanging above its head had about half left.

"Dark Dragon... Didn't they say the last Dark Dragon died in the Deadlands Swamp?" Hudi asked quietly. Fang Heng saw the fellow hiding under a table with the Paparal and was speechless. Heaven knew how terrified those two were.

"That isn't a real Dark Dragon, only its remnant soul... Perhaps it has something to do with that dragon horn," Wu Di answered. "Someone triggered the dragon horn's quest."

With Tianlan's comfort, Jita finally recovered somewhat, though her little face remained pale. She adjusted her huge glasses and softly recited, "Forget not your fallen enemy—"

"That's the Dragon Slayer's Adage," Hong Ye said. "But our Knight Order also studied that dragon horn. Every time, we ran into that old man Shayek. He normally wouldn't let anyone approach it so easily. How was this triggered?"

"Mazak and Mr. Shayek disappeared before the main event began. I saw them leave the hall," Tianlan answered only then.

"Damn it, they're really unreliable." While controlling his Walker to fight the Dragon People, the young man cursed irritably. "You'd better make a decision quickly. And help me while you're at it."

Within the spreading black mist, Dragon People were attacking everyone in the hall. Travelers had fainted, died, or fled. Adventurers were fighting the monsters in a chaotic melee. The brilliantly lit hall from moments ago had become a disorderly battlefield.

More than a dozen dwarf guards poured in through the main doors, but the Dragon People and smoke blocked them, preventing them from getting close for the moment.

Two more Dragon People burst from the mist and pounced at the group, but Liuli Yue's Walker blocked them.

However, the Dragon People were not low-level, at least level ten or above. The latter clearly had trouble fighting two alone.

Wu Di nodded, put on his control gloves, and raised one hand. His Fearless One burst through the mist and joined the battle. Before long, it punched straight through one Dragon Person's head.

Its iron fist pierced the skull, and the Dragon Person dissolved into mist, returning to the black smoke and dust.

But only moments later, more monsters formed from the smoke and dust.

"They can't be killed completely?" Hong Ye frowned deeply at the sight. "What do we do?"

Fang Heng alone did not feel afraid at all. Instead, he seemed eager to try. He said to the others, "Its strength doesn't seem fully recovered yet. Could we perhaps—?"

"Are you crazy?" Hong Ye and Liuli Yue cut him off in unison. The latter looked at him as though he were an idiot.

"You can't, Brother Shaya!" Tianlan hurriedly said as well.

"That's a boss-class creature." Wu Di shook his head and explained, "Even if it lay there and let us hit it, we probably still couldn't break its defense."

"The last time our guild hunted a boss-class dragon, we sent four groups. Only one group maintained its full formation after the fight, and that was only a lesser dragon breed." Hong Ye nodded as well.

After hearing that, everyone looked at Fang Heng.

Fang Heng looked innocently at them all and scratched his head. What could he do? He had no idea how powerful boss-class creatures were. He had only seen that the dragon's strength had yet to recover.

"Shaya is only a newcomer. It's normal that he doesn't know," Etila said gently at last. She held Ameya's holy emblem in her hand, its soft green light driving away the darkness around them. "In any case, we should leave this place first."

Everyone nodded.

Wu Di, Hong Ye, and the others had escaped the illusion only thanks to her holy emblem, so they attached great importance to Etila's words. And since his partner had spoken, the young man could only keep quiet now, no matter how much he disliked Fang Heng's group.

"Then should we go around it and head for the main doors?" Luo Yu asked.

"Not reliable." Hong Ye shook her head. Not to mention the ever-increasing number of Dragon People charging out of the mist ahead, merely passing by that dragon made the plan seem full of uncertainty.

Fang Heng could not help looking behind them, where there was another door. "Where does the passage behind that lead?"

"The cellar," Wu Di answered.

"Damn, isn't that just waiting to die?" Liuli Yue could not help rolling his eyes.

"Wait, I have an idea—" At that moment, a timid voice came from beneath the table. When everyone turned around, they realized it was the Paparal crossbowman clutching one of the table legs.

The little chubby fellow raised one tiny arm. His bean-like black eyes looked at everyone as he hesitantly said, "...I mean, there should be a passage in the kitchen for transporting supplies."

Everyone looked at one another.

"Good idea." Hong Ye's eyes lit up. "That should lead to the inn's back door."

"Which direction is the kitchen?" Wu Di immediately asked.

"I know, I know!" Parker crawled out from beneath the table and shouted, "It's this way. Follow me!"

"How do you know?" Hong Ye looked curiously at the little man. She had come here several times, yet had never paid attention to where the kitchen was.

"That's a Paparal racial talent." He patted his chest and answered, "There isn't a kitchen a Paparal can't find."

"There's even a talent like that?" Hong Ye was stunned.

Only Tianlan could not help letting out a puff of laughter.

"Wait." Wu Di stopped the others. "Since someone triggered this dragon horn's quest, the area outside the inn may not be safe either. Even if it is, we still need to be prepared for anything. Everyone should form a party first, then decide each person's role, so nothing goes wrong later."

As he spoke, he glanced back at the hall. There was not the slightest emotional ripple in his dead-fish eyes, as though everything before him had nothing to do with him. He merely instructed Liuli Yue, "Hold them off for now."

The young man did not answer. He simply had his Walker fight and retreat, blocking more Dragon People charging toward them.

Then he only shouted a reminder, "I can't hold them for long. You'd better hurry."

Wu Di nodded.

Fang Heng looked at him in surprise. He had not expected this fellow, who seemed indifferent to everything and somewhat arrogant, to have such a meticulous side.

Wu Di was the first to ask Hong Ye, "Hong Ye, do you still have combat capability?"

Hong Ye nodded and raised a hand. Blue light flickered in the air, like countless pale-blue cubes flashing and layering together before finally outlining the shape of a regular octahedron.

When all the light faded, a brand-new black regular octahedron floated in midair, slowly spinning.

Another Annihilator QV700.

Fang Heng practically drooled at the sight. This was a projection device, capable of projecting lifeless matter into a genuine information state and storing it in the system. Its operating principle was exactly the same as the currency datafication system, but it was far more expensive. A projection device of standard capacity, thirty kilograms, cost one hundred thousand Liselle.

Then Wu Di looked at him again. "What about you, Shaya?"

"Me?" Fang Heng froze before realizing Wu Di was referring to him. "My Walker is damaged, but if you give me some time, I can repair it."

Liuli Yue, who was fighting the Dragon People, heard this and became furious. He could not help cursing, "You only have one Flexible Construct? How can you be this poor? My god, are you really a Combat Artificer?"

Tianlan was about to retort indignantly, but Wu Di had already stopped the two of them and continued asking, "How much time do you need?"

Fang Heng silently estimated. "Five... no, three minutes."

"Three minutes, one hundred and eighty seconds?" Hong Ye stared at him in shock. "You can repair your Walker in three minutes, little brother? You're not bragging, are you?"

"I can only repair it roughly," Fang Heng said. "I can't charge it either."

"You still want to charge it?" Hong Ye rolled her eyes.

But the young man said irritably, "Forget three minutes, even one minute is too much. Look up there. That dragon horn is about to disappear completely!"

Everyone looked up and realized Liuli Yue was not exaggerating. In this short time, less than one-fifth of the dragon horn remained.

Wu Di frowned. Losing one source of combat power would make it truly difficult for the three of them to protect so many people. Those Dragon People were dark creatures above level ten, so in his eyes, the level-seven or eight Etila and the Paparal crossbowman did not count as combat power at all.

He did have spare constructs, but they were not something Fang Heng's level could use—

Wu Di thought for a moment, preparing to have Fang Heng go to the rear and protect the three trainees. He believed Fang Heng and Etila's group had enough ability for that, at least enough to relieve some of the pressure.

But at that very moment, a light and gentle voice came from the side:

"Mr. Shaya can use my construct—"

Fang Heng turned back in astonishment.

The golden-haired girl had somehow emerged from the billowing mist. She looked like a delicate figure straight out of a fairy tale, leaving the others staring blankly. Only the tall maid behind her remained silent, her violet-like eyes calmly and vigilantly watching everyone.

Sylvid held the huge leather suitcase with both hands and set it down before them with a bang.

She merely gave the suitcase a light pat with her white-gloved hand. With a soft click, seven or eight gold-foil-covered clasps sprang open at once. The noble family crest on the case slowly sank inward, and a heavy glow flashed across the gilded ribbon bearing its motto—"Time flows like water; wisdom grows with each day."

Then, with another click, the suitcase split open, revealing what was inside.

It was a fairy-like doll sleeping amid decorations of thorns and roses.

Or rather, a Flexible Construct.

"Ah—" The moment Hong Ye saw that Flexible Construct, she could not help crying out.

"Fairy Construct!?"

I've been a little busy these past two days, so updates will be later than usual. But I'll keep updating during the New Year as well, so please rest assured. And please send recommendations and add it to your favorites!